The next module by the Italian company Soundmachines might BLOW YOUR MIND in multiple kinds of ways...
With their latest announced module you will be able to control your modular (or your synth) with your brain.
The module is compatible with the battery-operated MindWave Mobile (by NeuroSky) headset.
The Mindwave Mobile was chosen for its low cost and rather good EEG capabilities.
The headset is connected to the module via a Bluetooth link, so that NO wires are running from the modular to your head.
It features:
- Attention (focus) and Meditation macro states
- Variable smoothing
- EEG Raw signal with gate generation
8 EEG power spectrum bands:
- delta (0.5 - 2.75Hz)
- theta (3.5 - 6.75Hz)
- low-alpha (7.5 - 9.25Hz)
- high-alpha (10 - 11.75Hz)
- low-beta (13 - 16.5Hz)
- high-beta (18 - 29.7Hz)
- low-gamma (31 - 39.75Hz)
- high-gamma (41 - 49.75Hz)
The brain as a CV controller
- Planned MIDI expansion
- Configurable (midi-channel,cc, etc...) with included serial interface
Soundmachines is expecting to release this module around June 2014.
" I have been playing with Bare Conductive paint since it came out a little more than a year ago.
It’s great stuff – a heavy acrylic paint that can be used as a resistor, touch sensor, paintable wire – and I keep coming up with new uses for it.
This idea stemmed from wanting to utilize my modular synth in more of an installation setting than a performance music setting.
I think of this as a sort of “sonic self-portrait.”
Two 10″x 10″ canvasses painted yellow with my hand prints painted in conductive paint.
A small piece of copper tape is attached to the back of each canvas and connected to Arduino.
Code on the Arduino turns the canvases into capacitive sensors and sends two channels of 0-5V PWM voltage out through RC filters into the modular synthesizer. In short: touch the painting, send modulations to the synthesizer."
" Patch description:
Left-hand CV to:
MATHS Ch 1 Signal In
Ch 1 set to Log, Rise and Fall at ~1 o’clock
MATHS Ch 1 CV to Optomix Ch 1 control in (Hertz Donut audio), Wogglebug Heart in
MATHS Ch 2 Signal In
Sum out to A-132-3 (Wogglebug FM’d Dixie audio), OR out to Echophon Depth
Right-hand CV to:
Piston Honda CV in
Piston Honda Hither/Yon CV ins
A-119 Asymetrical Input
Take gate out to MATHS Ch 4 Trig input
MATHS Ch 4 set to Lin, Rise CCW, Fall at ~12 o’clock
MATHS Ch 4 to Optomix Ch 2 strike in (Piston Honda audio), HD modulation index, EOC to Wogglebug clock in
Wogglebug clock out to Echophon Tempo in
Single Audio output from Echophon → TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb "
Dmitry Shtatnov uploaded a nice video from his latest DIY-project/invention.
He created a CV-source module that consists of an 8 HP front-panel with two faders, two separate mini-jack outputs and a switch.
Dmitry's Wob-Bob fader
The faders generate CV voltages, and each fader has its own output.
A switch is added to select between (regular) fader mode and so-called wob-wob mode with a 0V.-centre in the middle.
I must say it does create a nice effect, and IMO not only suitable for making Dub-Step...
Dmitry even shares the schemetics if you're interested in this project, contact him via his site or via YouTube.
Video: Wob-Wob Filter
" This short demonstration shows my little invention: CV-source dedicated for Dub-Step drops. Unlike regular fader, this one has its maximal value on the middle position. Schematics available. It's very simple and it's free for non-commercial use. You can get schematic here: http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/rpocc/... R2 and R3 can be replaced with 4.7k to increase the sweep width. http://rpocc.ru/"
This module has 2 wheels, and comes standard as one spring loaded wheel with bipolar voltage output, and one wheel without spring with only positive voltage output as a standard.
For each wheel two jumpers are available: one for the voltage range (positive or bipolar) and one for the voltage plateau around 0 V.
Another option to re-create this effect would be with an A-174(-1) Joystick module...
A video by Robotmakers was uploaded to YouTube this weekend, showing another alternative way of controlling your modular with gestures.
Finally someone found out how to use the Microsoft Kinect system to control a (modular) synthesizer.
Kinect is a motion sensing input device by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 game console and Windows PCs, based around a webcam-style add-on peripheral.
It enables users to control and interact with the PC or Xbox 360 without the need to touch a game controller or mouse, through a natural user interface using gestures.
Although this hack only converts the gestures to a MIDI signal, it can be easily converted into CV voltages with any simple MIDI-to-CV converter.
I predicted that this would be possible when the Kinect was announced in a post from January last year about Doepfer's Mogli glove.
I didn't expect it would take this long before a video showing this would appear on YouTube though...
(or did i miss earlier attempts?)
Video: Gestural Control of Modular Synthesizer via Kinect
" Custom software enables gestural control using Kinect and PC. Hand movements in the X and Y axes are translated into MIDI signals which generate control voltages, allowing 2 dimensional morphing of waveforms in a "Morphing Terrarium" module, processed through modular moog.
Recorded in the superterranian lair of the Robotmakers. "
Another Eurorack controller by Modulator Systems in London, the company that makes and sells interesting accessories for Doepfer A-100 and compatible (eurorack) analog synthesizer systems.
This time they created a cheap, pressure-sensitive pad with a CV-output.
Sadly it doesn't send a Gate/Trigger signal though...
Video: Modulator Systems MS202 Voltage Attenuator / Foot Controller Demo
" The MS202 is a fabric-covered soft touch voltage attenuating pad which can be patched into any voltage source and destination on the Doepfer A100 and similar analog modular systems and synthesizers. The uses are only limited by your imagination but it can for example vary vibrato or filter modulation depth, allow through white noise in drum sounds, add random modulation to notes, allow extra sequencer notes to be triggered, and much more.
The MS202 can also be hit with drum sticks to vary drum synth sounds - though it only outputs a voltage, not a trigger or gate - and works with even greater range as a foot controller, finding use as a wah-wah, volume controller and much more. You can also cover the MS202 with any flexible surface and use it as a hidden variable voltage source"
Price is £39.00 with £5.00 UK shipping or free collection in London, worldwide shipping costs on request. Email: modulatorsystems@gmail.com
One of the most impressive alternative DIY-controllers i've seen this year is probably this next one.
This Magnetic Table CV-controller is made by Jon Sonnenberg, who has been creating music and been obsessed with electronic music for most of his life.
The design is based on a magnetic pendulum toy;
" The toy consisted of a dangling string with a magnet on the end of it; then it hovered over magnets on a table that either repelled or attracted the string magnet; the stringed magnet then maneuvers around in crazy patterns due to the position of the table magnets.
There are 2 control voltage outputs for this device; one for the X axis, and one for the Y.
They vary from 0 to 5 volts. These can be used to change any parameter in a synthesizer or effects system to make interesting sounds.
For instance, the X axis could control the pitch of an oscillator, while the Y axis could control the volume. Another example could be the X axis controls a delay time, while the Y axis controls the feedback of the delay unit
.
Closeup of the upside-down potentiometer-joystick
A third example (and a little more abstract) is to have the X axis control the length of a sequence pattern, and the Y axis control the tempo of the sequence.
One interesting thing about using the magnetic table to control sound is that when the pendulum passes over a magnet with a pole that attracts the pendulum, it overshoots a bit, then swing back toward the magnet and overshoots again, continuing to oscillate in a damped, simple harmonic motion.
If the magnet is stronger (you can use larger magnets or stack them to make them have a stronger attraction or repulsion), then this oscillation is faster."
Video: The Magnetic Table: A CV controller for Modular Synthesizers
More weird Eurorack controllers, this time by Modulator Systems in London, a company that makes and sells many interesting accessories for Doepfer A-100 and compatible analog synthesizer systems.
Video: MODULATOR SYSTEMS MS101-R(a) DEMO
" Demo for the Modulator Systems MS101-R(a) Dual Momentary/Attenuator Remote.
This is a small remote control handset suitable for use with Doepfer, Analogue Solutions, Exclusively Analogue and other modular analog synthesizers.
It offers two momentary buttons and one attenuator, around a metre of cable and three pairs of inline mini-jack sockets to be patched into your modular synthesizer.
You can patch modulation through the attenuator and control its depth, patch a triggering LFO through a momentary to trigger an envelope in manually played patterns, create occasional ring modulation by patching a fast running LFO to the filter through a momentary, or anything else you can imagine."
The MS101-R(a) sells for 39 UK pounds plus mailing anywhere in the world.
As you all know, besides my interest in Doepfer modules i also love all other original eurorack concepts.
This one popped up on the web today, a creation of Gijs Gieskens (http://gieskes.nl) from the Netherlands.
(...also my home-country)
His latest module is a random noise generator, only a bit different than other ones.
This one is based on a small hourglass and laser technology.
As Gijs describes it on his website:
" The laser-beam seems to get bent by the falling sand (if it is sand) and shine onto the LDR (Light Dependent Resistor or Photoresistor), generating a random noise signal."
As most of you know i have a special interest in alternative controllers and modules.
Earlier this year i posted the Guitar-module for example (can be found HERE)
Although there is not very much innovation in the Eurorack space lately, there are still enough DIY-ers with interesting ideas.
Check out Peter Speer's eurorack String and Bow interface for example.
It consists of a hollow laser cut MDF enclosure, with a guitar string pulled across two zither pins and a contact mic underneath (connected to the front jack).
The bow is homemade (2x4 + horsehair).
The video shows a nice demonstration.
" Pressure Points and the Wogglebug's Stepped Out (triggered by the Pressure Points) are controlling the frequency on the DPO, as well as the pitch shift on the Echophon.
The envelope out from an A-119 is opening the low pass gate on the output and controlling the modulation index on the DPO."
Although there are a lot of video's without any clear explanation, some video's are simply amazing.
Youtube user mmdroid has put guitar-strings in his Eurorack.
Electric guitar-strings use the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals.
It looks like 2 Dual-Coil pickups were used in this project.
Double-coiled or "humbucker" pickups were invented as a way to reduce or counter the unwanted ambient hum sounds.
Humbuckers have two coils of opposite magnetic and electric polarity.
This means that electromagnetic noise hitting both coils should cancel itself out.
I blogged about the Doepfer Mogli and gesture control earlier on this blog, but in 2007 it was already possible to control your A-100 with a Nintendo Wii Remote (or Wiimote) controller.
" This video is about controlling a modular synth with Nintendo's wiimote gamepad, using Doepfer A-100, Doepfer MCV24, Wiimote and computer.
Softwares used are Bluesoleil, Glovepie and Midi-ox.
This video is not an artistic demonstration but a technical explanation of this system (that can be used for making music ofc). "
Uploaded on Sept. 12, 2007 by YouTube user DamagedMeat
In 1993 Doepfer presented the Mogli MIDI Data Glove Controller, an alternative controller device that was based on a Nintendo Power Glove controller.
It had traditional NES controller buttons on the forearm as well as a program button and buttons labeled 0-9.
The complete Mogli set with Power Glove,
receivers, Mogli interface box and adapters
There were two ultrasonic speakers (transmitters) in the glove and you had to put three ultrasonic microphones (receivers) around your TV monitor.
The ultrasonic speakers took turns transmitting a short burst (a few pulses) of 40 kHz sound and the system measured the time it took for the sound to reach the microphones.
A triangulation calculation was performed to determine the X, Y, Z location of each of the two speakers, which specified the yaw and roll of the hand.
It could also sense the bend of the individual fingers, the only dimension it couldn't calculate was the pitch of the hand, since the hand can pitch without moving the location of the two ultrasonic speakers.
The Power Glove was originally released in 1989 and was in general a critical and commercial failure.
Partly because of the lack of accuracy and the availability of games (for it's original use with the NES)
The Mogli interface box, Power Glove and adapters
In 1993 Doepfer introduced an external box that could receive the glove's data and convert it into MIDI signals.
The name Mogli stands for 'Midi Output GLove Interface'
The original Mogli interface box was equipped with MIDI in and MIDI out, and it had a red 3-digit LED display.
The display was needed to program the unit (i.e.to assign different function to the fingers, to the X/Y/Z coordinates, to the rotating angle and so on).
After a calibrating procedure the glove could be used in different controller modes.
The 'Virtual Play' mode was maybe the most attractive mode, in which could make you play a virtual keyboard in the free space.
In Direct Mode you could assign any movement to any MIDI controller, other modes were Gesture Mode (converting sign-language to MIDI controllers) Vector Mode (position sensing only) and Manipulation Mode (for manipulating incoming MIDI with the glove).
Although i am not the world's greatest electronics-guy i do have a feeling that the original Mogli converter box could be easily transformed into a version that sends Control Voltage and/or Gate signals.
Original Nintendo Power Glove
If you can find one, it will probably just work just fine with one of Doepfer's MIDI-to-CV modules, but you might not get the most out of all the glove's many functions.
The price of the system was 598 DM (i.e. about 300 Euro) for the ready built unit including a Nintendo power glove.
The kit version was 448 DM (i.e. about 225 Euro) incl. Nintendo power glove.
The control box only (without the glove) was 398 DM (i.e, about 200 Euro)
A kit version of the box was also available for just 258 DM (i.e. about 130 Euro)
The unit was available from March 93 until December 1995, but Doepfer had to stop the production because the Nintendo Power Glove was no longer available.
Around 350 units were made in total.
Interesting fact is that the Mogli was also used by Kraftwerk (on 'Pocket Calculator' and 'Music Non Stop') during their concert at the Brucknerhaus in Linz/Austria on the occasion of the ARS Electronica Festival for Art, Technology and Society in 1993.
Okay, i admit that the technology of the Power Glove might be outdated by now, but the idea of controlling sounds/patches with the move of your hand will always stay an interesting subject.
Roland is famous for its D-Beam technology since 1998.
The A-178 Theremin Control Voltage module (or the discontinued A-179 Light Controlled Voltage Source) definitely do not offer all the functionality of a glove like this.
However, i do think we will see some kind of gesture-control-trend coming up this year with the recently announced Kinect motion sensing input device by Microsoft, that was already available for the X-Box platform but that will soon be available for the Windows platform too.
I wonder how soon the first interesting gesture-controlled modular synth-video's will pop up on YouTube...
Find the Mogli's user-manual (in German language only) HERE
Please let me know if you have an English version, or else check the start of my translation project (work in progress).
My project is going great so far.
Most of the woodwork seems to be finished.
I carved out the whole 59.7 x 2.4 cm. strip where the fingerboard should come, about 3 mm deep across the whole surface.
I carved a bit too deep at places, but i will fill that up a bit with filler, so that should turn out fine.
The pressure sensor needs a flat surface, so that needs a little bit of extra attention.
I painted the wood 4 times now, with a glossy mahogany varnish, and it looks quite amazing IMHO...
It will get one last layer of varnish after the final assembly of the whole project
I screwed an iron ring at the top (but that might become an brassy one), and i am planning to screw one at the bottom for attaching a shoulderband.
I changed my mind a bit about the old fingerboard that i wanted to use, but i will order a new pressure-board from Doepfer next week.
I also need to find a smaller piece of wood that can cover up the USB-connector or find another good way to hide the connections.
That does mean i have to wait a few weeks before i can take the last steps and finish the whole project.
I will keep you updated...
Today I decided to pick up an old idea that i had for a long time.
Whenever i play the Ribbon Controller, i tend to hold it like a guitar, not like most do on a tabletop surface.
I have always loved the combination of wooden elements and synthesizers.
This combination was/is still very popular since the early 1970's.
Look at all those (Mini)Moogs and many other synths with wooden side-panels for example...
That is why i also decided to make my Ribbon Controller out of wood.
It looks like a found a nice solution to an earlier project too.
So today i bought myself a nice piece of wood in the local woodshop.
On forehand i had the idea that the handle of an axe might be the kind of thing that i needed.
They had a few different sizes, but i found a hardwood unpainted axe hande that was 90 centimeters (3ft.) long and perfectly shaped and curved.
I might make it a bit shorter later, but for now this will do just fine.
I dismantled my old Ribbon Controler (i do own another one, the newer version) and drawn out the shape of it on the axe handle. I used 3 screws to fixate the fingerboard while doing that.
Next up is the carving... i want to sink the fingerboard into the handle, but that means i need to carve at least half a centimeter deep.
I already carved the first bit like the last picture shows, but i still have a long way to carve.
But i need to get myself a new chisel now so you will have to wait how this project will continue.
I will keep you updated... but don't expect this to be finished before 2012.
One of the most used parts of my modular setup is without doubt my A-198 Ribbon controller.
You can read all i ever wrote about it so far HERE.
I love improvising with the manual controller and the sensitivity of the manual makes it fun to play with.
In combination with the A-156 Dual Quantizer and a A-170 Dual Slew Limiter it is quite easy to play, even for beginners.*
Together with and the different scales that are available on the A-156 you can make your ribbon-sliding-skills sound very impressive.
* I should note that is also easier to play the Theremin modules using these two modules.
From 2005 the A-198 (and R2M) manuals are equipped with an even more sensible pressure sensor.
The improved sensor now works along the entire manual.
So how can we distinguish these two models?
The newer version is white on top, instead of the greenish grey color of the old model's touch-surface.
The new version also does not have the text 'A-198' printed on it.
Ribbon controllers, new version at the bottom. Note; the orange stickers are not standard
The Doepfer R2M (Ribbon-to-Midi) is the stand-alone version of the A-198 with MIDI and CV/Gate outputs. R2M offers a lot more features than the A-198 (e.g. quantizing, gate function even in the hold mode, inverse scaling and many more)
Currently from June 2011 the cases have changed from silvergrey with black printing to black with white printing... also very slick...
Please unplug the USB-cable when you are not using the instrument.
The weight of the cable has more then once broken the USB-connector on my Ribbon Controller.
Or try to keep the controller and cable on a flat surface...
After a few weeks of randomly disturbed signals, the USB-connector of my A-198 Ribbon Controller finally broke a pin... or two.
It's not the first time this happened, last time was a little over 2 years ago.
It is just one of the very few weak spots of the whole A-100 system, it might be cost-related, but i'm not sure about that.
Back then, Doepfer was so kind to send me a USB connector for free, and i know that if i'd mail them i can get one again, but i'm not sure this solution will work very long, as i use this Controller a lot lately.
The weight of the USB-connector (and cable) is just too big, and the way i hold it (guitar-style) is probably not the best way to hold it (?)
My plan is to by-pass the USB-connector by wiring the cable in another way. I'm still not sure how exactly, but i'll see. And you will.
